1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sporting equipment set, backstop, method and means for defining a playing field, and method of playing a baseball related game, all suitable for use with a regulation baseball, Wiffle™ ball or other light weight balls or baseball equipment.
2. Description of Relevant Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,240 discloses a relatively heavy target sheet indiscriminately attached to a backstop generating only one particular sound when a ball strikes the target material. U.S. Pat. Application No. 20040038759 discloses a sport net relying on relatively hard, non collapsible material to generate an invariable sound when struck. These devices have a number of shortcomings.
First, the construction of the target zones or strike zones in the related art is limited to material that is acoustically different from the surrounding backstop or backstop net. The related art relies upon differences in the material of the strike zone and backstop to achieve a louder noise when balls hit the strike zone material.
Second, the related art fails to address the need for ball players to adjust the sound generated by balls striking the strike zone or backstop. As a result, ball players wishing to practice pitching or batting on an informal or warm-up basis must endure the distraction of loud target noises and commentary from bystanders, parents or coaches.
Third, the related art does not give players the option of having the backstop generate a louder noise than the strike zone or target zone. Practicing pitchers may prefer to associate a calming silence with balls thrown on the strike zone. Unlike the related art, the present invention allows independent adjustment of sound levels generated by either the strike zone or backstop net.